Where Are They Now? Nacona Allen Clowes, Miss Rodeo Tennessee 1997
Miss Rodeo Tennessee 1997, Nacona Allen Clowes, has had to spell and explain her name for years. Her name was inspired by the leather goods brand Nocona Boots.
But when her grandfather was asked how to spell the name for the birth certificate, he was unsure. So, he gave it his best guess. And, that’s how the different spelling came to be.
A third-generation cowgirl from Atoka, TN, Nacona followed in her mother and uncle’s footsteps competing in the Tennessee High School Rodeo Association. Her rodeo events were barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, queen contest and cutting. She served on the THSRA opening drill team for four years.
As Miss Rodeo Tennessee 1997, she traveled the state promoting professional rodeo and competed in the 1998 Miss Rodeo America Pageant, based at The Flamingo in Las Vegas.
Her favorite memories of serving as a state titleholder include interacting with children, traveling to promote her sport, and the highlight was the fast “fly-by” during her appearance at the famous Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo.
Following her reign, Nacona began assisting with the Miss Rodeo Tennessee Pageant, and later, she joined the Mid-South Rodeo Queen Pageant committee, directing the silent auction fundraiser and managing the rodeo alleyway at the Rodeo of the Mid-South PRCA rodeo held annually in Southaven, MS.
Additionally, she has served on the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Rodeo committee for many years, and she has judged several area rodeo queen pageants in the region.
Today, Nacona is President of the Miss Rodeo Tennessee Association and has volunteered at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant for the past two years, serving on the MRA Store committee and bundling flowers and making deliveries for the MRA Scholarship Foundation flower committee.
This year, she plans to expand her service to include the Silent Auction, Centerpiece, and Rodeo Royalty Seminar committees.
Nacona and Jason Clowes have a grown son, Garrett Clowes, who always kept the family busy with projects for his high school chapter of the FFA. Garrett was active on the Tipton County Claybusters Trap Shooting Team and later joined the Army, upon graduating from high school.
Garret’s FFA chapter participated in international travel to learn about agriculture around the world. Nacona was able to accompany Garrett to Ireland, England, New Zealand, Australia and Hawaii.
Nacona enjoys traveling, attending concerts, participating in water sports and spending time with friends and family.
She helps promote her step father’s BBQ cooking team and his famous “Big Jim’s Steak & More” dry rub product.
Nacona he spends her leisure time as captain of a boat that stays docked on the Tennessee River always ready for a quick weekend get-away with friends.
For 19 years, Nacona was a loyal employee of the local Mayflower Moving Company in Memphis as an After Move Care Supervisor, Director of Quality Assurance and Administrator/Software Designer.
After the recent closure of the company, Nacona went to work in human resources for a neighboring business Runyon Industries, Inc., a multi-faceted company based in Memphis, TN, providing railway services, vegetable-based feed grade and industrial oil products as well as storage solutions.
Nacona credits her experience in the Miss Rodeo America program with her ability to communicate well with people, public speaking, effectively multi-tasking, and building her confidence to accomplish any goal.
In fact, the primary reason she remains involved in leadership of the Tennessee program is to be a positive influence on young women of all ages.
“I enjoy teaching young ladies how to be comfortable with themselves no matter what path they are one,” says Nacona.
Speaking of her experience in the Miss Rodeo America Pageant, she says “During pageant week, anything and everything can happen.”
“You have to be prepared to handle whatever change or issue comes up by adjusting, adapting and then moving forward in a positive manner.”
“This idea flows into the remainder of your life, as not all of your plans will go the way originally thought.”
“Life is a constant learning experience, and how we handle that is what defines us as a person.”
See more at MissRodeoAmerica.com